System and method for validating calls within a telecommunications network

Abstract

System and method for validating a call within a telecommunications network that is vendor-independent. The system and method include a messaging facility, a validation database, and a validation facility. The messaging facility is connected to the telecommunications network, and configured to message to and receive messages from a telecommunication device (e.g., router, IRVU, etc.) related to the call being placed within the telecommunications network and to receive a validation request related to the call from said telecommunications device, the validation request being in a first format. The validation database is configured to maintain data relating to validating authorities (e.g., CYBERCASH, CYBERSOURCE, etc.) and the validating authorities' messaging format requirements (e.g., request content, protocol, format, etc.). The validation facility is coupled to the messaging facility and to the validation database, and is configured to receive a validation request from the messaging facility, to identify a validating authority related to the request, to access the validation database to convert the request from the first format to the related validating authority's messaging format as a second format based on data stored in the validation database corresponding to the related validating authority, to contact the related validating authority to request validation from the related validating authority in the second format, to receive a response from said related validating authority in the second format, to convert the response from the second format to the first format, and to send the response in the first format to the messaging device to be messaged to the telecommunications device in order to validate said call.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A system for automatically validating a call within a telecommunications network that is vendor-independent, comprising: 
 a messaging facility connected to said telecommunications network, and configured to message to and receive messages from a telecommunication device related to said call within said telecommunications network and to receive a validation request related to said call from said telecommunications device, said validation request being in a first format;    a validation database configured to maintain data relating to validating authorities and said validating authorities' messaging formats; and    a validation facility coupled to said messaging facility and to said validation database, and configured to receive said validation request from said messaging facility, to identify a validating authority related to said request, to convert said request from said first format to said related validating authority's messaging format as a second format, to contact said related validating authority to request validation from said related validating authority in said second format, to receive a response from said related validating authority in said second format, to convert said response from said second format to said first format, and to send said response in said first format to said messaging device to be messaged to said telecommunications device in order to validate said call.    
     
     
         2 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said telecommunications device is an Interactive Voice Response Unit.  
     
     
         3 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said related validating authority is a credit card clearinghouse.  
     
     
         4 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said related validating authority is a calling card clearinghouse.  
     
     
         5 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said related validating authority is a third party call clearinghouse.  
     
     
         6 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said first format is TCP/IP.  
     
     
         7 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said validation database maps said validating authorities' messaging formats to a general messaging format.  
     
     
         8 . The system according to  claim 8 , wherein said validation facility is a java program.  
     
     
         9 . A system for validating a call within a telecommunications network that is vendor-independent, comprising: 
 a server system coupled to said telecommunications network via an electronic data network, said server system storing and serving at least one user interface form corresponding to said call, said server system configured to be accessed via said electronic data network to enable a user to receive and process said at least one user interface form to provide billing information related to said call and to generate and send a validation request via said electronic data network in a first format;    a client data processing system coupled to said server system via said electronic data network and configured to receive and process said at least one user interface form within a browser application;    a messaging facility connected to said telecommunications network, and configured to message to and receive messages from a telecommunication device related to said call within said telecommunications network and to receive a validation request related to said call from said telecommunications device, said validation request being in a second format;    a validation database configured to maintain data relating to validating authorities and said validating authorities' messaging formats; and    a validation facility coupled to said electronic data network, to said messaging facility, and to said validation database, and configured to receive said validation request, to identify a validating authority related to said request, to convert said request from said first or second format to said related validating authority's messaging format as a third format, to contact said related validating authority to request validation from said authority in said third format, to receive a response from said related validating authority in said third format, to convert said response from said third format to said first or second format, and to send said response in said second format to said messaging device to be messaged to said telecommunications device in order to validate said call.    
     
     
         10 . The system according to  claim 9 , wherein said validation facility is further configured to send said response to said client processing system in said first format.  
     
     
         11 . The system according to  claim 9 , wherein said telecommunications device is an Interactive Voice Response Unit.  
     
     
         12 . The system according to  claim 9 , wherein said related validating authority is a credit card clearinghouse.  
     
     
         13 . The system according to  claim 9 , wherein said related validating authority is a calling card clearinghouse.  
     
     
         14 . The system according to  claim 9 , wherein said related validating authority is a third party call clearinghouse.  
     
     
         15 . The system according to  claim 9 , wherein said second format is TCP/IP.  
     
     
         16 . The system according to  claim 9 , wherein said validation database maps said validating authorities' messaging formats to a general messaging format.  
     
     
         17 . The system according to  claim 9 , wherein said validation facility is a java program.  
     
     
         18 . A method for facilitating the validating a call within a telecommunications network that is vendor-independent, comprising the steps of: 
 receiving a validation request in a first format from a telecommunications device handling said call within said telecommunications network;    determining a validating authority related to said validation request;    converting said validation request from said first format to an acceptable format related to said validating authority;    sending said converted validation request in said second format to said validating authority;    receiving a response from said validating authority based on said validation request;    converting said response to said first format; and    messaging said telecommunications device said converted response to validate said call.    
     
     
         19 . A method for facilitating the validating a call within a telecommunications network that is vendor-independent, comprising the steps of: 
 receiving a validation request in a first format from a requesting party relating to billing said call via an electronic data network;    determining a validating authority related to said validation request;    converting said validation request from said first format to an acceptable format related to said validating authority;    sending said converted validation request in said second format to said validating authority;    receiving a response from said validating authority based on said validation request;    converting said response to said first format; and    messaging said requesting party said response in said first format via said electronic data network.    
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 19  further comprising the step of messaging said telecommunications device said converted response to validate said call.  
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 19 , wherein said electronic data network is the Internet and World Wide Web.